News from the Intertribal Resource Center at UC San Diego

Issue #72 Winter 2024 - January

UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center

Winter Hours:

Monday-Tuesday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Wednesday 10:00am - 3:00pm

Thursday - Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or just to say hi!

itrc@ucsd.edu | itrc.ucsd.edu

The Intertribal Resource Center recently got new tables and chairs for our conference room. Within it, we have the Kumeyaay Creation Story piece by Christy Gomez (Kumeyaay from the San Pasqual Band of Indians) and other California Native artwork.

Additionally, we are developing a Community Corner with free items such as mugs, bags, and more for all to access. Throughout the center, we have free snacks, drinks, and hygiene products available to students. Stay tuned for the coming updates!

Come visit us in our new space (Student Services Building Room 187, First Floor, former Raza Resource Centro location) soon!

Upcoming Events

Interested in learning more about beadwork and other Native American forms of artwork? Looking for a peaceful space to bead and be in community? Join us for open beading hours every Monday from 1:00pm - 3:00pm! Supplies and light refreshments will be provided.

In addition to open beading hours, ITRC is hosting two workshops this quarter. First, on February 5th at 1:00pm, we'll be hosting the second half of our beaded lanyard workshop from the Fall quarter. Second, we'll be learning to make beaded earrings on March 4th at 1:00pm. All supplies will be provided and the workshops are open to all skill levels! RSVP required.

For the first time, ITRC is hosting FREE tutoring sessions in collaboration with OASIS. Starting Friday, January 26th, you can find tutoring in a variety of STEM courses from 12:00pm - 2:00pm in our space. Stop by for academic support and community! No RSVP required.

The ITRC is interviewing for a new Director! Native students are invited to join a meet & greet session with the Director candidate on Friday, February 2nd at 11:00am in the ITRC Conference Room.

Later in the day, the candidate will give a presentation open to all at the Cross Cultural Center at 1:15pm. We hope you'll join us for one or both events to meet our new potential Director!

Ask A Native Triton

Each month, we profile one of our amazing Native American students at UC San Diego. In addition, this year we are expanding to include Native American staff and faculty! If you would like to nominate a Native American student, staff, or faculty at UC San Diego for us to feature, you can email us at itrc@ucsd.edu.

The ITRC is proud to introduce...

Izzy Narvaez

Tribal Affiliation: Hopi

Staff Position: Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion Education and Training

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

1. How has UCSD been a home to you?

Since coming to UCSD in 2014, I haven't left! I have found a home at UCSD through places like the ITRC and the Cross-Cultural Center, where I work now. I am also so thankful for the Native community at UCSD both NAISA and AIFSA, who have provided me with support during the hard times and have been there to celebrate the good times too! While things can sometimes be challenging, UCSD has provided me with a strong community of support, and many fun memories like going to the zoo with the native community last fall!

2. What advice would you give to Native students thinking about pursuing higher education?

For so many of us, we have experienced being the only Native person in the room, and/or the first in our family to go to college, but you are not alone! As hard as things may get, never forget that you have support from so many places around campus, and if you are lost on where to go start with somewhere like the ITRC! (Which is advice #2- come hang out at the community centers like the ITRC, and the CCC! They are great places to chill and make new friends!)

3. What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, I enjoy reading (mostly horror and thrillers), playing video and board games, doing puzzles, and exploring San Diego! I especially love going to the zoo and the beach (when it's warmer). I highly encourage folks to explore San Diego as you can, its so huge and we are so close to amazing places like Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego.

What We've Been Up To

Native American Campus Community Engagement Series

On Wednesday, January 17th, ITRC Graduate Student Assistant Cheron (Diné), hosted an event for Native students to come together and socialize at Punch Bowl Social in Downtown San Diego. It was a night filled with boisterous laughs and remarkable karaoke singing to our favorite songs. Thank you to those who attended, and to Cheron for organizing this fun event for the UC San Diego Native community.